BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
One day, about two later, Horn and the were closely with their work in the of mystery. Developments were in confusion. A to and the work the of the scientist.
Von Horn's in the results that had been was little of the professor's—but he a very different outcome of it all, and by day moved without a gun at either hip, and by night of them were him.
Sing Lee, the having been of, set with rod, and to upon the beach. He moved through the jungle, his and ears always for anything that might of the unusual, and so it was that he saw the two men upon the beach, while they did not see him at all.
They were Bududreen and the same tall Malay Sing had twice before—once in and the prahu, and again as a come to the Ithaca to trade, but without the to out his intentions.
The two on the beach at the of the a above the point at which Sing had been about to when he them, so that it was but the work of a moment or two for the Chinaman to through the to a point directly above them and not three yards from where they in low tones—yet loud that Sing missed not a word.
"I tell you, Bududreen, that it will be safe," the tall Malay was saying. "You tell me that none of the of these white men, and if they do not return your word will be as to their fate. Your will be great if you the girl to me, and if you the of any of your own people a will them as as it will the white men."
"It is not of the white men, oh, Rajah Muda Saffir, that me," said Bududreen, "but how shall I know that after I have come to your country with the girl I shall not myself be set upon and with a kris—there be many that will be of the great service I have done for the rajah."
Muda Saffir perfectly well that Bududreen had but a as to his own trustworthiness, but it did not anger him, since the was not a direct one; but what he did not know was of the and Bududreen's to win the price of the girl and yet be able to save for himself a at the which he that lid.
Both men had now and were walking across the beach toward a small, native in which Muda Saffir had come to the meeting place. They were out of either spoke again, so that what passed them Sing not guess, but he had to the he had for a long while.
He did not fish for that day. Bududreen and Muda Saffir talking upon the beach, and the Chinaman did not for they might that he had them. If old Sing Lee his Malays, he was also wise to give them for their Chinamen, so he waited in until Muda Saffir had left, and Bududreen returned to camp.
Professor Maxon and Horn were over one of the six that were in two the center of the laboratory. The had been more and today than for some time past, and their had more of the that had marked it the month of their at Singapore.
"And what of these who are so imperfect?" asked Horn. "You cannot take them into civilization, would it be right to them here upon this island. What will you do with them?"
Professor Maxon the question for a moment.
"I have the but little thought," he said at length. "They are but the of my great work. It is that they are as they are, but without them I have the perfection that I am sure we are to here," and he upon the of the which he stood. "And this is but the beginning. There can be no more mistakes now, though I if we can upon that which is so here." Again he passed his long, hand over the coffin-like at the of which was a the words, NUMBER THIRTEEN.
"But the others, Professor!" Horn. "We must decide. Already they have a problem of no small dimensions. Yesterday Number Five some that I had to Number Seven. I to with him, but, as you know, he is defective, and for answer he at Number Seven to tear the from him. The result was a that might have put to two Bengal tigers. Twelve is and intelligent. With his and my I succeeded in them either was killed. Your error was in at for such physical perfection. You have it, with the result that the of is by a dozen of muscularity, and brain among the dozen to three properly."
"They are as they are," the professor. "I shall do for them what I can—when I am gone they must look to themselves. I can see no way out of it."
"What you have you may take away," said Horn, in a low tone.
Professor Maxon shuddered. Those three days in the at Ithaca his memory with all the he had for so many months to forget. The of the that had left him an man—so that there were times when he had for his sanity!
"No, no!" he almost shouted. "It would be murder. They are—"
"They are THINGS," Horn. "They are not human—they are not beast. They are terrible, creatures. You have no right to permit them to live longer than to your theory. None but us of their existence—no other need know of their passing. It must be done. They are a and to us all, but most of all to your daughter."
A look came into the professor's eyes.
"I understand," he said. "The once established, all must by its edict—even those which may not be or bestial—even this perfect one," and he touched again the vat, "and thus you would of suitors. But no!" he on in a high, voice. "I shall not be to thus myself, and be in my plan. Be this one what he may he shall my daughter!"
The man had himself upon his as he his climax—his hand was high above his head—his voice out the final sentence, and with the last word he his upon the him. In his the light of madness.
Von Horn was a man, but he at the of the older man, and back. The of was apparent, and he and left the workshop.
Sing Lee was late that night. In he did not return from his for until well after dark, would he any of the of supper. Nor he be after the when Virginia him.
Not until the was in the of did Sing Lee return—stealthy and mysterious—to under of a night to the door of the workshop. How he entrance only Sing Lee knows, but a moment later there was a crash of the laboratory, and the Chinaman had out, the door, and to his shack. But there was no occasion for his haste—no other ear than his had the the workshop.
It was almost nine the Professor Maxon and Horn entered the laboratory. Scarcely had the older man passed the than he up his hands in consternation. Vat Number Thirteen to the floor—the was to a pieces—a sticky, the matting. Professor Maxon his in his hands.
"God!" he cried. "It is all ruined. Three more days would have—"
"Look!" Horn. "It is not too soon."
Professor Maxon to his from his hands, and there he beheld, seated in a of the room a giant, physically perfect. The looked about him in a dazed, manner. A great question was large upon his countenance. Professor Maxon and took him by the hand.
"Come," he said, and him toward a smaller room off the main workshop. The docilely, his about the room—the still upon his features. Von Horn toward the campong.
Virginia, by all, the Sing, who, of his sport on the day, had again gone to the beach to gulls, of the and solitude. For a time she about the little which had been for the whites, but of this she to her the palisade, a thing which she had done unless by Horn—a thing he and her father had her against.
"What can there be?" she thought. "We know that the is by others than ourselves, and that there are no beasts. And, anyway, there is no one now who to what of me, unless—unless—I wonder if he care. I wonder if I or not he cares. Oh, dear, I wish I knew," and as she she past the little and into the that the campong.
As Horn and Professor Maxon talked together in the laboratory the of Number Thirteen, a and had from the low at the opposite of the until it had at the door of the in which the two men conversed. For a while it intently, but when Horn the for "terrible, creatures" an of and the features, and like a great it and across the toward the easterly, or of the enclosure.
Here it a dozen times for the top of the palisade, and then and in it ran and along the of the obstacle, just as a wild in the of its cage.
Finally it paused to look once more at the that its escape, as though the to the top. Then the about the to at last upon the of the which was its shelter. Presently a slow idea was in the poor, brain.
The approached the shed. He just the that the work of the roof. Like a he himself to the of the structure. From here he see the palisade, and the wild of the called to him. He did not know what it was but in its he many and openings that offered from the who were to take his life.
Yet the was not six from him, and the top of it at least five above the top of the shed—those who had designed the had been to set this from the to prevent its too easy an of escape.
The toward the workshop. He the that always each new on his part that did not with the of his master, and as he of Horn a his eyes.
He to across the the and the palisade, and in the attempt his and nearly himself to the ground below. Cautiously he back, still looking about for some means to the chasm. One of the of the roof, the thatch, his attention. With a single he it from its fastenings. Extending it toward the he that it just the gap, but he not attempt to upon its single strand.
Quickly he off a dozen other from the roof, and them by side, a safe and easy path to freedom. A moment more and he sat the top of the wall. Drawing the after him, he them one by one to the ground the campong. Then he himself to liberty.
Gathering the under one arm he ran, lumberingly, into the jungle. He would not of the he had wrought; the of the was still upon him. The green closed about him and the peaceful gave no of the that its mazes.
As Horn into the his quick the that had been with the at the east end of the shed. Quickly he to the low structure. Within its a number of upon their haunches, or upon the native that the floor.
As the man entered they looked at the which from his right hand, and then at one another as though which was the on this occasion.
Von Horn ran his over the assemblage.
"Where is Number One?" he asked, his question toward a thing gave promise of than any of his companions.
The one his head.
Von Horn and a of the campong. There was no of the missing one and no of any other than the of the roof. With an of mild upon his he entered the workshop.
"Number One has into the jungle, Professor," he said.
Professor Maxon looked up in surprise, but he had an opportunity to reply a woman's scream, with horror, upon their ears.
Von Horn was the to the of the whites. Professor Maxon was close him, and the of were white with apprehension. The was deserted. Not Sing was there. Without a word the two men through the and for the in the direction from which that single, had come.
Virginia Maxon, the of the foliage, presently aware that she had from the than she had intended. The day was sultry, and the heat, in the of the jungle, oppressive. Slowly she her steps, her upon the ground, her mind in sad of her father's and eccentricity.
Possibly it was this very which her to the near approach of another. At any the girl's that she was not alone came when she her to look full into the of a which her path toward camp.
The a single from her lips. And who can wonder! The thing so her was in the extreme. A great of in dirty, white pajamas! Its was of the of a fresh corpse, while the white and pink the of pigment; a of albinos.
One was twice the of the other, and an above the plane of its mate. The nose was but a above a and mouth. The thing was chinless, and its small, its like a on a hill top. One arm was at least twelve longer than its mate, which was itself long in to the torso, while the legs, and in huge, that laterally, the thing to from to as it toward the girl.
A the as the upon this new creature. Number One had a woman, but the of this one in the of his a great to his hands upon her. She was very beautiful. Number One to have her for his very own; would it be a difficult matter, so was she, to her up in those great, arms and her into the out of of the bull-whip man and the cold, one who was and Number One and his companions, the while he them with those strange, that one more than the of the whip.
Number One forward, his arms toward the girl. Virginia to out again—she to turn and run; but the of her and the terror that those left her and helpless.
The thing was almost upon her now. The mouth was wide in a attempt to smile. The great hands would her in another second—and then there was a of the her, a yellow, and a pig-tail past her, and the old Sing Lee with the that her.
The was short—short and terrible. The Chinaman the of his antagonist, but his wiry, were as the of that power that them. Holding the girl at arm's length in one hand, Number One the Chinaman from him with the other, and him above his head, him and against the of a tree. Then Virginia in his arms once more he into the of the that the more open the beach and camp.
